ectoplasm

noun

ec·​to·​plasm ˈek-tə-ˌpla-zəm 

1

: the outer relatively rigid granule-free layer of the cytoplasm usually held to be a gel reversibly convertible to a sol

2

: a substance held to produce spirit materialization and telekinesis

ectoplasmic

ˌek-tə-ˈplaz-mik 

adjective

Examples of ectoplasm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The rest is a corporate ectoplasm of code, data, and brand power. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025

Activities included guessing how many candies were an ectoplasm jar, a trivia game about famous locations that are haunted by children and some on-sight ghost hunting as well as a scavenger hunt. — Angela Andaloro, People.com, 4 Aug. 2025

Arthur Conan Doyle sent him an image of ectoplasm with a handwritten note. — Julia Halperin, New York Times, 16 May 2024

Some of them, like me, were journalists who had dutifully showed up to watch Tiffany Haddish trade wisecracks with digital ectoplasm. — Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023

The vacation rental agency promises that all beds will be freshly made and ectoplasm has been expertly cleaned. — oregonlive, 13 Oct. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ectoplasm

• germplasm
• phantasm
• sarcasm
• bronchospasm
• cytoplasm
• neoplasm
• protoplasm
• vasospasm
• chasm
• chiasm
• nazim
• plasm

Kids Definition

ectoplasm

noun

ec·​to·​plasm ˈek-tə-ˌplaz-əm 

: the firm outer layer of the cytoplasm of a cell

Medical Definition

ectoplasm

noun

ec·​to·​plasm ˈek-tə-ˌplaz-əm 

: the outer relatively rigid granule-free layer of the cytoplasm usually held to be a gel reversibly convertible to a sol compare endoplasm

ectoplasmic

ˌek-tə-ˈplaz-mik 

adjective